John Goddard

John Douglas Claude Goddard OBE (21 April 1919 – 26 August 1987) was a cricketer from Barbados who captained the West Indies in 22 of his 27 Tests between 1948 and 1957. Early life and career with Barbados Goddard was born in Fontabelle, Saint Michael, Barbados, into a family that controlled one of the leading trading companies in Barbados. He was a younger brother of the writer, lecturer and mystic Neville Goddard. He attended The Lodge School in Barbados, where he excelled at cricket, soccer and athletics. He played for Barbados from 1936–37 to 1957–58. A middle-order batsman, he scored five first-class centuries in his career, all for Barbados in the period from 1942–43 to 1946–47, when in 12 matches he made 1219 runs at an average of 67.72. His highest score was 218 not out, against Trinidad in 1943–44, when he and Frank Worrell added 502 in 404 minutes in an unbroken partnership for the fourth wicket. Goddard captained Barbados from 1946–47 until his retirement. Of the 13 matches in which he captained the team, they lost only once, a narrow loss to the touring MCC in 1953–54.